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Kearney has strong showing at fundraiser

Nearly three dozen people from Kearney took the plunge Saturday, Jan. 30.

The annual Polar Plunge to raise money for Missouri Special Olympics was at Longview Lake in Kansas City.

“It’s for a good cause, and it’s a lot of fun,” said Jacob Squires, Kearney High School senior. “It doesn’t look like fun, but it is.”

Members of National Honor Society and other Kearney High School students had to raise at least $50 each to participate in the plunge. Several students took an extra moment to splash around in the water with the air temperature in the 20s. Others got in and out as fast as they could.

“It hurts,” Joe Windsor, senior, said as he got out of the water. “I’m numb.”

Windsor, who was among 21 Kearney High School students who participated, took the plunge for the first time. The Kearney High School group raised $1,400.

Anita Buelow, music teacher at Dogwood Elementary School, took the plunge for the third consecutive year on the behalf of Dogwood.

“I’ve had the opportunity, being a music teacher, to work with so many kids that benefit from that, it just was something I decided to do,” Buelow said, noting her sister-in-law talked her into it. “It’s something fun to talk about with the kids, and they get excited about it. (Friday) I wore my Polar Bear Plunge shirt to school, and all the kids — from kindergarten up through fifth grade — were, ‘Good luck, Mrs. Buelow.’”

She raised $750 from students, family and friends. Buelow jumped with her daughter, Katie, 14.

Joel Muiller, Kearney High School sophomore, raised money separate from other groups after someone he knew from church who was involved in Special Olympics talked him into it.

“Wooh, it was awesome,” Muiller said after getting out of the water.

He raised $500 for Special Olympics.

Venture Crew 360, a local service organization, had nine members take the plunge, raising $1,000.

Bryan Cessna and Stephanie Moyer both took the plunge for the first time. The only word they had to describe the experience was “cold.” They attributed peer pressure for their reason.

Matt Brammeier is a regular for the plunge. His sister is a Special Olympics athlete.

“Special Olympics is something that has been part of my life,” Brammeier said.

Kearney Editor Kevin M. Smith can be reached at 628-6010 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

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